


The Circle Game

by Azpidistra



Category: Power Rangers in Space
Genre: Andros/Zhane Friendship, Gen, Group dynamics, Really awesome guitar music
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-23
Updated: 2013-10-23
Packaged: 2017-12-30 05:27:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1014676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azpidistra/pseuds/Azpidistra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zhane always loved it when Cassie played the guitar: the campfire, the camaraderie, and the feeling, just maybe, he belonged.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Circle Game

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starlitpurple](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlitpurple/gifts).



Zhane always loved it when Cassie played her guitar. It was a rare thing, usually a night which included a hologram campfire (something Ashley had spent thirty minutes trying to explain before Andros had finally taken pity on her, and said exasperatedly, " _We_ do _have campfires, you know_ ". Ashley, to her credit, had grinned sheepishly, and sat cross-legged between Andros and Carlos, and Zhane - Zhane had stifled a chuckle. For all that Andros still pretended exasperation when it came to the Earth Rangers, they really had helped to mellow him) and smores, which TJ had introduced the team to, and Zhane loved, no matter how much the team teased him for being too serious when it came to toasting his marshmallows. " _Really. You just sort of let it catch on fire_ ", Carlos had shrugged once.

Usually, Cassie played "classic Earth songs", as she often referred to them. Songs with songwriters with names like Don McLean, and Don Henley, and Cat Stevens. Sometimes, Ashley or TJ would join her, voices melding into something beautiful. And Zhane would watch the way the flames - real or not, he swear he could feel their warmth - danced on his friends faces', old and new, and for once, feel like he belonged.

\--

It had been after one of these nights, an evening filled with Carlos and Ashley one upping each other with song requests, then giggling as Cassie proceeded to play every single one, some worse than others. And Zhane, perhaps stupidly, in a moment as Cassie caught her breath, asked if he might hold her guitar. Cassie had looked surprised, then fiercely protective of it a moment, before she finally nodded, and held it out.

Zhane had taken it reverently, running his fingers over the woods, plucking at one of the strings. He smiled at her. " _It's beautiful_ ," he had finally said.

Cassie had simply smiled. " _Play something_."

Zhane shook his head, ready to argue, when he noticed Andros watching him silently. His leader - his best friend - raised an eyebrow, almost as if daring him, and it was such an _old_ Andros expression, so much of his best friend that he missed still, that he propped the guitar against his body, and curled his hands around the strings, and he played.

It was a haunting tune, full of sadness and hope, of childhood promises, and broken dreams.

He barely got through the first verse, when he shook his head, and handed it back to Cassie. " _I'm sorry_ ," he murmured. And Andros frowned, excusing himself without a word.

\--

He found Andros in the Engine Room, listening to the hum of the machines. "I liked to come here when this ship was still simply mine," he said by way of greeting. "It used to make me think I wasn't so alone."

Zhane hesitated in his steps, a fraction of a moment of a second, before he placed a hand on Andros' shoulder. "You're not alone."

"But I am." He stared right at Zhane, that look that always seemed to penetrate through someone's thoughts. "We both are."

"No, we're not." Zhane squeezed Andros' shoulder, before dropping his hand to cross his arms as he leaned against the back wall. "We have the others. We have their friends. We have each other."

Andros frowned. "It's not the same," he said quietly, sighing. He leaned against the wall, one leg bent to place his foot flat against it. His hands remained fisted at his sides. "That song you played. Why did you?"

"I-" Zhane looked away. "They keep playing songs which tell stories of their histories. I wanted to share something of ours. That _is_ our song, Andros. It _is_ KO-35. It tells who we are."

"You mean who we were."

Zhane flashed a wane smile. "That too." _I am sorry I left you alone for so long_ , he thought, rather than said.

Andros shook his head. _It's not your fault_.

_I feel responsible_

Andros' hand was warm on his shoulder. _Don't_ " He turned his head to catch his best friend's eyes, but already Andros turned away. "Do you remember when we first started training together? They gave us both telekenesis balls, but - but you kept insisting in butting in and using mine. Then Karone beat us both, levitating it like it weighed nothing, even as we stood there arguing about boundaries and -"

"Not knowing how to share," Zhane's smile was easy even as it was nostalgic. "I remember. She was such a pest back then."

"She was," Andros agreed, swallowing. 

Zhane grabbed Andros' hand without even thinking about it. _I wish she was here too_.

"Yes, well." Andros frowned, but he held onto Zhane's hand like it was lifeline.

Zhane looked at him a moment before shaking his head, and grinning. He stepped away from the wall, tugging at Andros' hand. "Come on. I think I heard Ashley and Cassie mention something about ice cream."

"Here?"

"On Earth, I think."

Andros considered this. "All right," he finally said, and stepped away from the wall.


End file.
